Norwich man arrested twice in six hours

Montville – State police arrested a Norwich man early Friday morning for driving with a suspended license hours after he'd been released from custody on a drunken driving charge.

Christopher Rivera, 43, of 117 Talman St., Apt. 1, was charged around 10 p.m. Thursday with failure to drive right and driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs after police said he swerved while driving on Route 2 in North Stonington. Around 4 a.m. Friday, police say Rivera was driving eastbound on Route 2A in Preston when he pulled over to allow a car to pass. While pulling over, police said he struck a rock and utility pole, sustaining damage to the entire right side of his car. When police arrived, they arrested him for driving with a suspended license stemming from his earlier arrest and failure to drive right.

Rivera is scheduled to appear in Norwich Superior Court next month on the suspended license charge and in New London Superior Court Dec. 20 on the drunken driving charge.